Overtime up in Halfmoon

Overtime costs in Halfmoon increased by nearly 40 percent over 2012, and highway department employees received much of the extra pay.

Halfmoon paid employees $50,322 in overtime in 2013, compared to $30,957 in 2012, according to the town. The top earner, Water Maintenance Supervisor Sean McCarthy, took home $4,166 on top of his $60,653 salary. Of the top ten overtime earners in 2013, eight worked in the town’s Highway Department. The ten were paid nearly $30,000 of the total $50,322, according to figures released under the state Freedom of Information Law.
Poor weather and snow plowing caused last year’s jump in costs, said Kevin Tollisen, who replaced Melinda Wormuth as supervisor in November.

“With the Highway Department, it mostly depends on the weather,” Tollisen said Thursday. “In a snowstorm, we have no choice but to plow the roads for the safety of our residents.”

But with an eye toward savings, Tollisen recently told town department heads not to approve any overtime unless it was absolutely critical. “We’re keeping a close eye on our budget, and we want to remain fiscally sound,” the supervisor said.

McCarthy responds to water emergencies, sometimes outside of normal business hours, Tollisen said. The only other non-Highway Department worker to make the top ten list was John Cooper Jr., a fire/code enforcement officer who made $2,879 in overtime above his $49,234 salary, according to the town.

Unlike many communities, Halfmoon does not have its own police force. It relies on Saratoga County Sheriff’s deputies and State Police to patrol its neighborhoods, which saves on overtime costs.

Clifton Park, Halfmoon’s larger neighbor to the west, spent $195,160 on overtime last year. Clifton Park does not have its own police department. It paid out about $86,000 more on overtime in 2013 because of a handful of nasty snowstorms in December, Clifton Park Supervisor Philip Barrett recently said.

Tollisen said he wasn’t overly concerned about rising overtime costs. “The employees do great work,” he said.

11 Responses

Would you please write an article on the pay for each TU employee? It is so stale seeing government workers as your target. Let’s compare the overpaid government workers to your salaries and have something real to talk about. $4000 in overtime is a story? It’s a slam and a hurtful article that only brings bad feelings with it. So, put up TU, let’s see an article on your salaries, over time, per diem, and every little extra you get. We want to see it because it’s newsworthy to know your neighbors’ salary, right?

I would like to congratulate the Town of Halfmoon’s low overtime usage. It isn’t easy to run 24-7 sometimes and not earn overtime. I’m sure all of the dedicated laborers, and heavy equipment operators did without, worked weird shifts and be on call in order to serve their town. Congrats!

They should be fired and just hire cheaper workers! Gov service is not a business it should be in the name of SERVICE! no wonder we are in so much debt! we pay this Gov Workers too much. Maybe we just do it all by ourselves and just fire them!

This is hardly news-worthy considering the multitude of other news events you could be covering.

@Hypocritical, I could not agree with you more. This is borderline slanderous material and I would find great enjoyment reading all about Dennis Yusko’s salary and bonuses.

@Concerned, you are completely misguided in your thought process. These men work hard and EARN the money they are paid. Not to mention, now their paychecks are publicized for all to see thanks to the TU.

The Town of Halfmoon’s Highway Department does a PHENOMENAL job, and in my own opinion, they are not paid enough! Looking through other local towns as an honest comparison, $50,000 is pennies. Troy and many others have reputations for paying INDIVIDUAL employees that amount or more.

Keep up the good work Halfmoon, your work is greatly appreciated by those who live within your borders.

Oh please, get a grip. Go ahead and criticize the news value of the story but don’t accuse us of slander for printing annual overtime payments that are funded by taxpayers. We’ve FOILed many communities for these to check how OT money is spent. It tells a lot about each community and could also reveal other things. It’s not at all an attack on workers – look at Tollisen’s quote at the end.

Lance, if you want to read all about Denis Yusko’s salary and bonuses, become his employer, and you’ll get that info. It’s the same idea that applies here. If you work for the taxpayers, they have a right to know where their money is going.